What Does an Ombudsperson Not Do?

The Ombudsperson does not act as an advocate in a dispute. The Ombudsperson is neutral and impartial.

The Ombudsperson does not represent individuals in appeals or formal grievance procedures either on campus or off campus.

The Ombudsperson does not provide legal representation or give legal advice.

The Ombudsperson does not get involved with non-University related problems or complaints.

The Ombudsperson does not overturn binding decisions, but can investigate procedural fairness.

The Office of the Ombudsperson is not an office of record. Speaking with the Ombudsperson is not "notice to the University" of problems or policy violations. Often persons will seek advice from the Ombudsperson privately, before deciding what actions to take in response to a problem. If you want the University to "be on notice," that is, formally to know about a particular problem and formally respond, the Ombudsperson can help you identify which office to contact.

The Ombudsperson does not keep formal written records. The Ombudsperson can help you determine how to keep your own records, if you need to do that.